Apparatus for charging or loading projectiles with high explosives.



988,798. Patented Apr. 4, 1911. A I

2 SHEBTHBH EET 2.

1 Z 1 A NW *1 WITNESSES: IN VENTOR ATTORNEYJ,

i 2 opigtms.

UNITED sfrArr or -r rru'r OFFICE;

HUDSON 'MAXIM, OF NEW YORIL'N. Y.

AIIf-ABATUS FUR CHARGING OR LOADING PELOJ'ECTIZLES VJITH -ETK IEL OSI'VES.

To all "it may concern: B'e'it know that I, H'UosoN MAXI, of the borough of Brooklyn, cit'y'of New York, Sti t-i5 of New Yorlr, hair? invented a new 5 .tmcl Improvement in Apparatus for (lhal'jgin'giflor L0i1ding of Projectiles with lligh Explo'sivs; which invention fully sat in the following specification.

The present invention relates to novel appui'utuzs for the more rapid, economical cnd 'cfiicient charging or loading of projectilcswithhigh explosives than heretofore.

The hhject of the invention i'l'mirily to provide process and apparatus which a 15 high explosive in fuse-(tor plastic or fluid t tato may be. charged. into prop with: easc and ra iclity ailltl at the. scum time scg 'uriugo, l or nozrporous charge -t-hatits irks-a3 aha-r e l'rcc ofair bubhlerior air i carrying out tl'afllfilfillilfiifi a vertically arningcrl-foecting (ti-limit?- or chamber, prefv cmbly a- 'l1y lraulic' compress cylinder, is rov'ided, and coiistruc'i'ccl so that thc plu ggr maybe liftrl free of the top of the cyli i'dergtc provide srmce for the convenient "kshargi rigflo f the cylinder with. tho explosive malteria l las' itis required. Connected with the low i grid of the feding or c xplosirc siipp'ly'"cylii1der is an outlet conduit which maybe wholly Orpgrtially flexible or jointed t9 facilitateconnection with the pr0ject ile Qhf'filld. The supply cylinder and f hbhhlsblthcoutlet pipe or conduit '35 are rat-cr-iiiclzttipandmeans are provided for the circulatioh hot Water through this jacket to maintain the explos ve in its proper or desirg l juscd or plastic condition. Of

xconrs steam n ay l)e employed instead of 9 hot 11, butho'b water 15. preferably employed.- I p l v In.fillingprojectiles, a false ortemporary b'ls plug having the configuration of a true :amplfug-is first screwed into the projectile,

0penir1g-h-a=ving me'ans" adapting it tov be connected: ,witih ithc outlet pipe 0mm 'cx-,-=

' solidifies into a dense andvery hard mass,

adhering ti htly to the walls of the projectiles, anti projectile is being charged or loaded with Specification of Lott-mu; Patent,

Application filed May 12, 19M

1 il'li'lirl' in that condition, or the material and flown into the chamber of the pr Patontcd Apr. -21, 1911,

Seria No. 207,711.

the cxg iiosivo A pet ock may also be 'attachocl to the vnt.

Thoe'lxplosi've material which I prefer to en'spl'oy hut which by the fusion of one of the. ingrerlie'nts in which a. non-fusihleingiitllflllt suspended, forms a. pacts, pla s t-ic' in nature, of the cm'isistcncy'of thick pom and capable of flowing 1 under 111m?) The fusible ii'1g1'c ..,ic.,lt melting: ly in the water bath. The high explo (so may be eithcr'melted or rendered p'latic, in u. steam-jacketed kettle, or ovcr a W? oath and than charged into the supply he cl'mrgcil into the supply cylindor in pow 85 dared form, and there lie-fused or remlcred pl by the heat of the hotwater ja'cket With which the cylinder is surrounded lVhen tho cylinder is charged for use the plunger is admitted into and closes the up" to per end of the cylinder The false base. plug having been inserted in the end of a projov tile, is then attached to the outlet pipe, anal the material in the supply cylinder is 3 11bjccted to pressure -by forcing flri wn the sive .forcml outward through. tho .cxitr with great force, the air beii'l g expelled through the Vent. In this way the projeirr 3c tile is very quickly charged or loaded, with the avoidance of all ai1.'*'spaces'. When the projectile is full and thcescape of air ceases at therent or on the appearance of escaping cxplosivc material through the vent, th"

cock in the vent'is shut off, and. the valve or plug cock in the supply pipe is also shut off, or the downward pressure o'f the plunger-is stopped or both the plug cock is $31111; ofi

L and the pressure of the plunger stoppccl a'nd' so the further supply ofmatcrial stopped.' The outlet or supply pipe is disconnected from the charged or loaded projectile and connected. with the false base plug of another projectile to be charged or, loaded and the operation repeated. On cooling; theexplosive in the projectilg charged'in' this way completely filling the space-10d the 1." iady supply of lllt,

ho lifting of the explosive charge or any part of it; in the projectile on firing from a gun or in the penetration of armor plate.

'lhe aeconipanying drawings illustrate a pracuczzl cmlmdimcnt of the invention, in l'11i.cl'i---- l' igures' and 52-, are 'vmhtical central sectional elevations oli diil'crcut Forms of the improved. apparatus; and Fi 3 is a sectional elevation ot a stean'uaelreted kettle for ')reparing the explosive mixture for use.

The in'ipl'ovcd a 'iparatu' consists of a vertically am ed eompre ion cylinder or suplilly chamber 2t], provided with a. verti 'ally moving piston plunger 21,, adapted thereto and operz'itcd by any suitable power through its rod shown passing through a suitable bearing 23. The piston plunger 21, has sutficientupward travellabovc the open end oi. the supply" chamber to permit explosive material The cylinder or clian'iber. 20 is thereto.

"' :tormcd with a hollow jacket 241: through which. a circulation or preferalily hot water is maintained by a feed pipe and passing outward by a. pipe 26. The chamber is pr0- vided with an outlet pipe or conduitQ'T also formed with, a hollow jacket 28 in communication with the hollow jacket; of the chamber by which. the plasticity of the material passing 'ouhx-ard through said pipe is maintained to insureit. ilowing under pressure into the 1.:rojcctile being loadedg In Fig. 1 the outlet pipe 27 comn'iunicates,{with the side of the supply/chamber near its bottom and is provided with a plug valv e 29 by which the supply through the pipe maybe shut oil when desired as when one projeo tile has been loaded and the pipe is to be disconnected therefrom and connected to an other projectile. In this form. or the apparatus the end of the outlet pipe 27- is continued by a flexible tube 30, having a screw-threaded or other suitable nipple, 9, for attachment to a false base plug 10. The flexible continuation of the outlet pipe may be. of sufiicient length toenable the attendant to have some range of movement in connee-ting and loading a number of projectiles placed'in proximity to the apparatus. This false or temporary base plug .10 partakes of the configuration of a. regular'base plug, and'isscrew-tl'irearled', as is the regular one, into the open end of the projectile 11'. The

base in addition to the passage 8 for the supply of the-explosive, has an airvent- 7 Whichmay be'controlledby a pet-cock (i.

Forconvenienc'e of moving the projectilesi intdpositi'on to he charged or loaded, and then moved away, they. may be carried by a. small wheeled or other truck 31.

A number of false or temporary b: so pl ugs will be provided so that the process of1oading yu-ojectilcs may continue for any desired ')e1'iod, so that only sufficient interruption in loading to disconnect and connect the aitacliiirgr nipple need. occur.

in the construct ion shown in Fig. 2, the outlet pipe 37 ('ominl'inlcutcs Vertically through the bottom of the supply chamber Qt), and is rigid tlurougfhout itsfentire length. its; lower end has a flanged. nipple 19. arranged for attachment to a similar nipple ll oi the base plug passage 8 by a coupling sleeve 17 with an interposed washer 5.

The means of connecting the outlet pipe 2'1 with the projectile may obviously be of any suitable form, those shown being; more examples or a screw-threaded or bayonet jointed connectiomthe latter form being preferred. By directly connecting the cavity of the projectile with the supply chamber the explosive material may be forcibly expelled from the chamber into the czwity of the projectile whereby at the time the pro jcctile is full, the charge is under the same compression as material in the chamber. whereupon the vent, cock will be closed and the supply be cut oil by closing the plup valve 2-9, or by stopping the compression movementof the plunger or both.

The explosive material employed is proferably one capableof being rendered plastic by heat and of forming a solid compactdeuse mass on cooling. may be prepared in a hot water or steamjacketed kettle 40, as indicated in Fig. 3, from which the plastic or fused material may be dipped into the supply cylinder 20.

Or the explosive material may, in the first instance be fed to the cylinder or chamber and by the heating medium surrounding it be rendered-and maintained in .a plastic or fused condition ready to be forced outward and compressed Into the pIO]e-Gl;ll(-)S. i

Such a material I The'process set. forth. in this application isnot herein claimed, the same forming the subject-matter of application Sr. .No.

329,778, filed Aug. 8, 1906, a division of the present case.

that is claimed is 1. The combination of an explosive supply chamber, means for exerting pressure therein, means for heatingsaid chamber,

and an outlet conduit having means for at-- tachment to thebase plug of a projectile to be charged.

2. The combinationof an explosive supply chamber, means for exertlng pressure therein, an outlet conduit having means for.

attachmentto the base plug of'a projectile to be charged, and meansfor circulating-a heating medium around the chamber and outlet conduit.

3. The combination of an explosive sup ply chamber, means for exerting pressure therein, an outlet conduit terminating ina.

flexible portion, having means for attach:

ment to the lime plug of a projectile to be In testimonyvwhereof I lia ve signed-this charged.

4:. The combination of means for forcing a plastic explosive under pressure through a. conduit, and a false base plug for 5 projectile having means adapting it for attachment to said conduit, and also having a vent.

specification in the SCI'lblDg w messes.

. HUDSON'MAXIMQ Witnesses f I WILL'IAM E. HILLSZ R. L. Scorn.

presence of two sub- 10 

